State Department Now Neutral On Repeal of Tonkin Resolution

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WASHINGTON, March 12 The State Department has shifted to a neutral position on a proposed congressional repeal of the 1964 Tonkin Gulf resolution.

The resolution gave prior ap proval of “all necessary meas sures” that the President might take to repel any armed attack “to prevent further aggression.” Former President Lyndon B. Johnson used the resolution to justify the bombing of North Vietnam and the commitment of United States soldiers to combat in South Vietnam.

The repeal of the resolution is part of a proposal offered by Senator Charles McC. Mathias Jr., Republican of Maryland, which would alto repeal three similar resolutionl. In December, the State Depart ment took an official position opposing repeal “at this time,” but Secretary of State William P. Rogers said later that the department would look into the matter further.

An aide of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmed tonight that the department had sent a nine‐page letter to Senator J. W. Fulbright, chair man of the committee, altering the Administration's stand on the resolution.

In the letter, the State De partment said it neither advo cated nor opposed repeal of the Tonkin Gulf or the other resolu tions, explaining that the crises under which they were adopted had since passed.

The Mathias proposal would also repeal resolutions backing Presidents Dwight D. Eisen hower and John F. Kennedy in crises involving Taiwan, the Middle East and Cuba.